FOR NIGERIA’S SECURITY ASSURANCE AND SANCTITY - THE URGENT NEED FOR THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO COMPLETELY BAN OPEN GRAZING ACROSS THE COUNTRY
June 19, 2021 | News
With the apparent insecurity across the country stirred up by Fulani herdsmen in their grazing private business, especially their influx into the Southern parts of the country and their audacity to take over people’s farm lands, which has led to the loss of many lives and destruction of peoples ancestral homes and communities
-By Zik Gbemre
FOR NIGERIA’S SECURITY ASSURANCE AND SANCTITY - THE URGENT NEED FOR THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO COMPLETELY BAN OPEN GRAZING ACROSS THE COUNTRY
With the loss of many innocent lives and displacement of thousands from their ancestral homes on account of the terrorist-ridden Fulani herdsmen open grazing activities across the country, what more are the National Assembly members waiting to happen before they would pass a law to outrightly ban this archaic practice of open grazing, especially since the President is not willing to address this problem?...
The members of the National Assembly cannot be talking about the evident insecurity across the country, without taking a stand in enacting a law for the outright ban of the open grazing practice across the country...
We must learn from what is going on in other African countries like Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, etc., that have recorded great success with their best ranches in the continent...
With the apparent insecurity across the country stirred up by Fulani herdsmen in their grazing private business, especially their influx into the Southern parts of the country and their audacity to take over people’s farm lands, which has led to the loss of many lives and destruction of peoples ancestral homes and communities – there is the urgent need for members of the National Assembly, as Representatives of the Nigerian people, to urgently ban completely, the open grazing practice in the country. This urgently needs to be done now, especially when the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Presidency has shown not to be willing to address this problem that has become a thorn in the flesh of many.
I have consistently maintained that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is not sincere and honestly willing to bring to an end the carnage caused by Fulani herdsmen and bandits terrorist attacks on countless communities across the nation. All the signs and indicators are there to justify this fact. From their body language, disposition, utterances, prescribed policies as supposed solutions to the problem, to their partiality and insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian people that are victims of these criminal elements.
The practice of open grazing of cattle has caused deaths of many Nigerians, not to mention the rape and molestation this has brought on women as reported by the media and social media. But what is more scary and very dangerous for our national togetherness and unity, is the fact that these Fulani herdsmen with their ‘terrorists-ridden-tendencies’ are using their so-called open grazing practice to infiltrate people’s lands and communities as they please, with the intent to sack these places and practically take it over as their own. This has been their subtle way of spreading their tentacles across the country. And we simply cannot allow this to remain. We should not allow a particular ethnic group’s private business practice to become a threat to every other person’s existence and safety.
So, I really don’t understand what more are the National Assembly members waiting for to happen, before they would take this problem seriously, and pass a law to outrightly ban this archaic practice of open grazing, especially since the President is not willing. Though, the Fulani Herdsmen/Farmers clashes have been a long issue of crises in the country, but never have we seen it become so widely a threat to our national security and people’s safety.
The members of the National Assembly cannot be talking about the evident insecurity across the country, without taking a stand in enacting a law for the outright ban of the open grazing practice across the country. They should pass a law to stop open grazing practice as soon as practicable without any further delay.
A former member of the middle belt Forum (1999-2003), Jonathan Asuke, once noted that: “We cannot go to our farms, and these are lands taken over from the people, and it has not been compensated for. We have become second class citizens in our own state and in our country. And somebody is saying that it is just fears. These are real facts. The fear is real. And the replication of this model all over the country, and the intent is real. Today, we have IDPs scattered across the middle belt and some parts of the North, the rains are coming, and they will be under the rain and sun. They can’t farm, there is no food. And nobody is talking about where will these people that have been displaced from their homes, be resettled. And they are there talking about RUGA, as a solution. How will that solve the problem of herders and farmers? How will it bring about peace? We can see that the whole RUGA thing, has ulterior motives.”
The one that shocked most is the fact that, some Northern leaders are seen in pictures that are all over online, having meetings with these Fulani Herdsmen and Bandits, who now wield their AK47 guns with all boldness and without fear of being arrested. May be it is because they know that nothing will happen to them under this present administration of Buhari.
Open grazing of cattle in the 21st century is obviously outdated and archaic. The nomadic practice is no longer an effective and efficient practice of rearing cows as a business. That time has passed when herdsmen move about with their cattle all over the place in search for feeds for the stock. Which is why many have advocated for cattle ranching since this is a private business, especially when we consider the fact that the open grazing practice has created a lot of insecurity, as cattle herds are moved up and down into people’s lands/farms/communities. Cattle rearing remains a private business, and it should operate so with laws that would regulate its practice in the country.
We are all aware that the Southern State Governors had recently made a resolution to ban open grazing across the Southern region of the country, which the President Buhari-led Federal Government has refused to accept their decision on this. But just as these State Governors have already done, the various State Houses of Assemblies across the country should also pass laws to completely ban open cattle grazing in their respective States. If the Nigerian lawmakers at the National Assembly and State Assemblies are serious about ending the insecurity situation in Nigeria, then they should urgently enact and pass laws to outrightly ban open grazing across the country.
For President Muhammadu Buhari, he should be reminded that he was elected to protect the lives, property, and the interest of all Nigerians. Regardless of our ethnic and religious differences, the President should regard and treat everyone and region with equal attention. He was not elected to GOVERN the Northern Nigeria, but RULE the rest of the country. The Fulani/Hausa Northerners are not more Nigerian than the rest of us at the Southern parts of the country. So, he should protect the interest of every Nigerian citizen, and every tribe irrespective of where they come from.
It is also imperative for all stakeholders in the polity to note that the issue of cattle ranching is an economic activity that has the propensity to economically transform the lives of many. But this can only happen when it is handled with wisdom, care and absolute transparency and honesty. As noted by Falana while still speaking on the whole RUGA settlement issue: “But sentiments apart. We have to be serious about this matter. Ranching is not a new development in Nigeria. It is not a new phenomenon. Under the Ahmadu Bello regime, the first ranch in Nigeria was established in Cross River State at Obudu in 1951 by the British. It was later taken over by the Eastern Government. The Awolowo regime had a ranch in Akure, now Ondo State. The Ahmadu Bello regime had a ranch in Okwa – Niger State. Under the Gowon regime, the Audu Bako regime in Kano, had the best ranches in the country then. But what happened was that under the military – during the long years of military rule, all the ranches in the country collapsed.
“That was the beginning of people (herdsmen) taking cattle from one part of the country to the other. Those who say that we have been doing it from time immemorial are talking rubbish. It is not our issue. In fact, in the cases of the South West, the Obafemi Awolowo regime introduced a type of specie of cow from Argentina. So, we must solve the problem. And it can only be solved scientifically. And we must learn from what is going on in Africa. Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, etc., have the best ranches in the continent. In fact, Botswana has a population of about 1.2 million people, but the cattle population there is 2.8 million. That is the largest exporter of beef meat in Africa, and the largest producer of beef meat… So, we must go modern. There is no sentiment about it. For instance, the South West consumes 10,000 herds of cattle every day because of the size of the population. You need to have a ranch. One of the State Government at the very least must invest in cattle ranching to take care of beef meat production.”
Zik Gbemre.
June 19, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
-By Zik Gbemre
FOR NIGERIA’S SECURITY ASSURANCE AND SANCTITY - THE URGENT NEED FOR THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO COMPLETELY BAN OPEN GRAZING ACROSS THE COUNTRY
With the loss of many innocent lives and displacement of thousands from their ancestral homes on account of the terrorist-ridden Fulani herdsmen open grazing activities across the country, what more are the National Assembly members waiting to happen before they would pass a law to outrightly ban this archaic practice of open grazing, especially since the President is not willing to address this problem?...
The members of the National Assembly cannot be talking about the evident insecurity across the country, without taking a stand in enacting a law for the outright ban of the open grazing practice across the country...
We must learn from what is going on in other African countries like Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, etc., that have recorded great success with their best ranches in the continent...
With the apparent insecurity across the country stirred up by Fulani herdsmen in their grazing private business, especially their influx into the Southern parts of the country and their audacity to take over people’s farm lands, which has led to the loss of many lives and destruction of peoples ancestral homes and communities – there is the urgent need for members of the National Assembly, as Representatives of the Nigerian people, to urgently ban completely, the open grazing practice in the country. This urgently needs to be done now, especially when the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Presidency has shown not to be willing to address this problem that has become a thorn in the flesh of many.
I have consistently maintained that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is not sincere and honestly willing to bring to an end the carnage caused by Fulani herdsmen and bandits terrorist attacks on countless communities across the nation. All the signs and indicators are there to justify this fact. From their body language, disposition, utterances, prescribed policies as supposed solutions to the problem, to their partiality and insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian people that are victims of these criminal elements.
The practice of open grazing of cattle has caused deaths of many Nigerians, not to mention the rape and molestation this has brought on women as reported by the media and social media. But what is more scary and very dangerous for our national togetherness and unity, is the fact that these Fulani herdsmen with their ‘terrorists-ridden-tendencies’ are using their so-called open grazing practice to infiltrate people’s lands and communities as they please, with the intent to sack these places and practically take it over as their own. This has been their subtle way of spreading their tentacles across the country. And we simply cannot allow this to remain. We should not allow a particular ethnic group’s private business practice to become a threat to every other person’s existence and safety.
So, I really don’t understand what more are the National Assembly members waiting for to happen, before they would take this problem seriously, and pass a law to outrightly ban this archaic practice of open grazing, especially since the President is not willing. Though, the Fulani Herdsmen/Farmers clashes have been a long issue of crises in the country, but never have we seen it become so widely a threat to our national security and people’s safety.
The members of the National Assembly cannot be talking about the evident insecurity across the country, without taking a stand in enacting a law for the outright ban of the open grazing practice across the country. They should pass a law to stop open grazing practice as soon as practicable without any further delay.
A former member of the middle belt Forum (1999-2003), Jonathan Asuke, once noted that: “We cannot go to our farms, and these are lands taken over from the people, and it has not been compensated for. We have become second class citizens in our own state and in our country. And somebody is saying that it is just fears. These are real facts. The fear is real. And the replication of this model all over the country, and the intent is real. Today, we have IDPs scattered across the middle belt and some parts of the North, the rains are coming, and they will be under the rain and sun. They can’t farm, there is no food. And nobody is talking about where will these people that have been displaced from their homes, be resettled. And they are there talking about RUGA, as a solution. How will that solve the problem of herders and farmers? How will it bring about peace? We can see that the whole RUGA thing, has ulterior motives.”
The one that shocked most is the fact that, some Northern leaders are seen in pictures that are all over online, having meetings with these Fulani Herdsmen and Bandits, who now wield their AK47 guns with all boldness and without fear of being arrested. May be it is because they know that nothing will happen to them under this present administration of Buhari.
Open grazing of cattle in the 21st century is obviously outdated and archaic. The nomadic practice is no longer an effective and efficient practice of rearing cows as a business. That time has passed when herdsmen move about with their cattle all over the place in search for feeds for the stock. Which is why many have advocated for cattle ranching since this is a private business, especially when we consider the fact that the open grazing practice has created a lot of insecurity, as cattle herds are moved up and down into people’s lands/farms/communities. Cattle rearing remains a private business, and it should operate so with laws that would regulate its practice in the country.
We are all aware that the Southern State Governors had recently made a resolution to ban open grazing across the Southern region of the country, which the President Buhari-led Federal Government has refused to accept their decision on this. But just as these State Governors have already done, the various State Houses of Assemblies across the country should also pass laws to completely ban open cattle grazing in their respective States. If the Nigerian lawmakers at the National Assembly and State Assemblies are serious about ending the insecurity situation in Nigeria, then they should urgently enact and pass laws to outrightly ban open grazing across the country.
For President Muhammadu Buhari, he should be reminded that he was elected to protect the lives, property, and the interest of all Nigerians. Regardless of our ethnic and religious differences, the President should regard and treat everyone and region with equal attention. He was not elected to GOVERN the Northern Nigeria, but RULE the rest of the country. The Fulani/Hausa Northerners are not more Nigerian than the rest of us at the Southern parts of the country. So, he should protect the interest of every Nigerian citizen, and every tribe irrespective of where they come from.
It is also imperative for all stakeholders in the polity to note that the issue of cattle ranching is an economic activity that has the propensity to economically transform the lives of many. But this can only happen when it is handled with wisdom, care and absolute transparency and honesty. As noted by Falana while still speaking on the whole RUGA settlement issue: “But sentiments apart. We have to be serious about this matter. Ranching is not a new development in Nigeria. It is not a new phenomenon. Under the Ahmadu Bello regime, the first ranch in Nigeria was established in Cross River State at Obudu in 1951 by the British. It was later taken over by the Eastern Government. The Awolowo regime had a ranch in Akure, now Ondo State. The Ahmadu Bello regime had a ranch in Okwa – Niger State. Under the Gowon regime, the Audu Bako regime in Kano, had the best ranches in the country then. But what happened was that under the military – during the long years of military rule, all the ranches in the country collapsed.
“That was the beginning of people (herdsmen) taking cattle from one part of the country to the other. Those who say that we have been doing it from time immemorial are talking rubbish. It is not our issue. In fact, in the cases of the South West, the Obafemi Awolowo regime introduced a type of specie of cow from Argentina. So, we must solve the problem. And it can only be solved scientifically. And we must learn from what is going on in Africa. Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, etc., have the best ranches in the continent. In fact, Botswana has a population of about 1.2 million people, but the cattle population there is 2.8 million. That is the largest exporter of beef meat in Africa, and the largest producer of beef meat… So, we must go modern. There is no sentiment about it. For instance, the South West consumes 10,000 herds of cattle every day because of the size of the population. You need to have a ranch. One of the State Government at the very least must invest in cattle ranching to take care of beef meat production.”
Zik Gbemre.
June 19, 2021
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes